Cocktails get help from the kitchen

The cocktail renaissance is in its second decade, and now that
the classics have been rediscovered and updated, creativity and
innovation are defining the craft. Bartenders across the globe are
incorporating new ideas and ingredients into their drinks, often borrowing heavily from the kitchen and
garden.

Carrot juice and even mushrooms are finding their way into
glasses at bars across the US. The former is praised
its ability to bring both a brightness and a subtle
savory quality to drinks, while the latter can add structure and
earthiness to cocktails. Another ingredient that has come to the
forefront is chocolate. Forget the overly-sweetened chocolate
"martinis" that once graced the menus of fast casual restaurants;
modern drinks featuring chocolate are much more
sophisticated.

Dairy is getting a second look by bartenders as
well. "Using dairy changes mouthfeel," says
Trick Dog's Morgan Schick. "If all you have is sweet and
acid you are very limited from a palate sense." Using real dairy
products can be tricky, as the alcohol will cause ingredients like
milk and yogurt to curdle. To combat this, mixologists often turn
to dairy-like products such as soy and almond
'milks'.

Beer cocktails are gaining in popularity too, moving
beyond the traditional (yet delicious) shandies and radlers.
Bartenders are using sour beers and making beer syrups to enhance
cocktails. Eaux de vie, once relegated to after-dinner
sippers, are also being increasingly incorporated into drinks.
According to Leo Robitschek of NYC's NoMad
Bar and Eleven Madison Park, the fruit and vegetable
spirits can upgrade most cocktails. "Either you can make
a Daiquiri with rum, lime and sugar," says Robitschek, "or you can
make a Daiquiri that's enhanced… with maybe a little pear eau de
vie."